YouTube is first generation Internet video, in concept if not (soon) in compression technology. As competitors become sharper, YouTube becomes duller. YouTube is a constant reminder that some people have no shame and even Google's search technology can't make the site tremendously more useful, especially for business users.

Sure, YouTube is a good way to waste a lot of time watching stupid people tricks. But, actual usefulness either as an entertainment or business tool is elusive. Of course, if you just need a place that will make your home movie too available to the rest of the world, YouTube is a world-beater. And, yes, you can find my stupid videos there, too. My Flip camera makes it just too easy.

For me, YouTube becomes sillier and more irrelevent almost almost daily. If I want video entertainment online, I head over to Hulu, where plenty of good old (and some new) TV shows are available for free. If I want to pay for content, Apple is my first choice. You might choose Netflix or Amazon.

Business video has yet to find a home. I am becoming loath to embed YouTube in my own sites because of the other content the site displays along with my own. I am not crazy about hosting my own video, but if I could pay someone to make embedding video as easy as YouTube and offer me a lot more control, I'd consider it.

I am not saying that Google shouldn't invest in better video compression. I am all for faster downloads and saving bandwidth, it's just that Google's video issues go a lot deeper and the problems are not in my set.